The change of leadership of the Moscow police may be the first step in police reform

The change of leadership of the Moscow police may be the first step in police reform

26.09.2016

In the Metropolitan police reshuffle. In place of the chief of the Moscow police Anatoly Yakunin came from Oleg Baranov. Introducing his staff, the Minister of internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev as one of the main priorities of the new chief called a change in public opinion about the work of the police. The change of leadership of the police Department is part of a larger security sector reform.

The Minister of internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev personally presented on Monday the Metropolitan police Oleg Baranov. He gave a very flattering description for the new appointee, stressing that knows him for a long time. “The sheep began its operational service in the position of security officer in the branch where I worked as the head,” he said. – In my eyes repeatedly took part in the arrest of armed criminals, for which he was awarded the medal “For courage”. Always demonstrated examples of personal courage and professionalism.”

“The fact that sheep will be the successor to Yakunin, was known for a long time and in no way is not a surprise”

The Minister outlined the priorities in the work of the new police chief. “In the presence of the new chief of a Central Board and all managers want to identify the main task – a criterion of our work is the public opinion about the state of law and order, the real picture that is emerging at the moment”, – quotes its words of RIA “news”. The Minister drew attention to the fact that “institutional design issues, none of our statistics it is impossible to neutralize the personal perception of the inhabitant of the capital”.

“In turn, assure that they will make every effort to be at the proper level to ensure the protection of public order and the safety of the inhabitants of the capital”, – said Baranov.

About the need to abandon the “cane” system (i.e. evaluation of the work of the police, depending on the number of solved crimes) the management of law enforcement agencies says first year – that, however, does not prevent this system to still exist today. Therefore, the statement Kolokoltsev police was not surprised. But the change Yakunin on a post of the head of the police Department was a surprise. He was considered a man of the team Kolokoltseva and the apparent failures in his work, and apparent conflicts, which the police chief would be directly involved, like there was. The only exception, perhaps is the so – called Golden youth: the son of a top Manager of LUKOIL Shamsuarov Ruslan and his friends Abduvahob madzhidova and Viktor Uskov. They were detained for gross violation of traffic rules and the disobedience to a police officer. Yakunin then strongly advocated that all three were punished. “They think money can buy everything and everyone. They made a mistake.” he said under the TV cameras.

And here three days ago, Yakunin was transferred to the post of head of the operative Department of the Ministry of interior. President of center of strategic communications Dmitry Abzalov not agree with common in the police opinion that the former chief policeman of Moscow sent into honourable exile. “We still have to see what position is stronger, which took Yakunin or where he went, – said political scientist newspaper VIEW. – Maybe his new job was less public, but in the future it can be strategically important”.

Speaking about the prospects, Abzalov has in mind the reform of the whole system of Russian law enforcement agencies. She, recall, began in July, with the entry into force of the law “On national guard”, according to which the power units of the MVD such as the OMON and SOBR, as well as internal forces reassigned to the National guard. In 2018 the staff of these units will officially receive the status of military personnel. In addition, media reports about upcoming major changes of the whole system of power structures of the country about the possible creation of a power superbeasto (the “Kommersant” newspaper even claimed that it will be called the Ministry of state security), as well as the weakening of the powers of the Investigative Committee and even its elimination, which would entail the strengthening of the Prosecutor General and the interior Ministry.

Abzalov admits that the change of leadership of the capital dome will follow changes in the leadership of regional police departments. “After the election, there is a rotation of the governors, or at least the preparation for this rotation. Consequently, governors come together with the heads of regional interior Ministry or FSB, if the Governor is strong,” he said. By the way, Yakunin came to your post soon after winning the election of mayor Sergey Sobyanin.

Sheep in some ways seems the antithesis of his predecessor. Yakunin is not a Muscovite. He was born in Oryol region and in Moscow was transferred in 2012 as head of the Ministry of internal Affairs of the Novgorod region. As for Oleg Baranov, he was born just outside the capital (in the family of a serviceman in the city of Potsdam, GDR). All his life is connected with Moscow. Here he began his service as an ordinary police officer, here received his education, graduating from the Law Institute of MIA is climbing the career ladder operational employees – from the chief of one of departments operatively-search Bureau to the head of the criminal investigation Department.

With the advent Yakunin, he became his Deputy, so his appointment as head of the Metropolitan police is quite logical and does not seem to break with the legacy of his predecessor. “The fact that sheep will be the successor to Yakunin, was known for a long time and in no way is not a surprise,” even says Abzalov. The advantages of the new head of the Moscow police should be attributed to his relative youth (he’s 47 years old), combined with extensive operational experience.

Among the tasks related to the professional competence of the new chief of the Metropolitan police, and the fight against corruption and organized crime. Given that the scandalous case of the thief in law Zachariah kalashova (Shakro Young) grows and in connection with the name of criminal authority commemorated the names of a growing number of high-ranking employees of power structures, it is possible that Baranov would have to somehow join the investigation. This will be a serious test of the validity of reshuffle in the capital.